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Missouri Botanical Garden visits South Africa South Africa in Springtime - September 17 to 30 - 2006 FLORA, NATURAL HISTORY & CULTURE Sposored by The Missouri Botanical Garden Escorted by Dr. Peter Raven & Dr. Patricia Raven In the South African veld people sit around a camp fire. Above, the Milky Way galaxy pulsates with the light of a billion stars. There’s animated conversation, recounting the day’s adventures – a lioness with cubs seen here; a fish eagle dives into the river; the spoor of a rhino tracked through miles of bush. After a while the talk ceases, giving way to contemplation. This is Africa’s magic at work; keeping away stresses, problems, worries, brought to this place from the cities of the modern world. Of course the wilderness of grasslands, marshes, forests, wild animals, and safari camps, is only one aspect of South Africa – which for many years used the slogan ‘a world in one country’ to promote tourism. Some of the other ‘worlds’ to be seen in this tour are cities with fascinatingly different histories and cultures; sub tropical beaches; centuries-old winery estates; fertile valleys that wind between soaring mountains. Our hotels have been selected for location, tasteful elegance and fine service. Cuisine in South Africa’s better hotels and restaurants is of high standard – with seafood often outstanding. Be prepared for some wonderful and exotic flavors. This Missouri Botanical Garden journey begins in a great world city – Johannesburg - which sprang out of the veld after 1886 when gold was discovered on a lonely farm, in an obscure ‘Boer Republic’. It is interesting to reflect, as we travel around, that everything we see results from the wealth created by gold. Gold shaped the social and political structure as well – dooming the original republic, creating the British-style Union of South Africa and later a new Republic of South Africa planned on racial divisions. Now, in post-apartheid South Africa, Johannesburg - for so long the industrial and financial hub of Africa - has the freedom to become even greater. Dr. Peter Raven’s work in the Missouri Botanical Garden and the National Academy of Sciences has led him to take a keen interest in South Africa’s National Botanic Institute and its National Botanic Gardens, some of which will be visited during this tour. Since South Africa has about 10% of all world plant species, the country has an important role to play in plant ecology. Some of the plant scientists you will meet during this tour, colleagues and friends of Dr. Raven, have made important contributions to botanical knowledge and all are committed to preaching the urgency of plant conservation. You can expect some lively discussions when you meet these people at their workplace, or over a cup of coffee or glass of wine. Arranging botanical tours to South Africa since 1977 tour of the garden enjoy a special lunch 20 SEP WED The morning will be Itinerary with members of the staff. Skirting free to enjoy the splendid amenities of Johannesburg, travel to Pretoria, the the resort – there is a championship 17 SEP SUN Tour arrangements nation’s capital city. Avenues lined with golf course, a spa, tennis and commence today at Johannesburg Jacaranda trees are a special treat in swimming. Optional excursions are International Airport with “Meet and springtime Pretoria, and though August available through the concierge, such Greet” service provided on an as a visit to a traditional Zulu village in individual basis, according to your the Valley of a Thousand Hills. This arrival flight. Transfer by hotel shuttle afternoon, a special visit has been bus - about 20 minutes - to the modern arranged to U’Shaka Marine World, a and sophisticated suburb of Sandton, conservation center that includes a which lies a few miles north of breeding colony of African Penguins, downtown Johannesburg. Tour with dinner provided after a guided tour participants gather as a group for the of the facility. (B,D) first time this evening at a special Zimbali Lodge welcome dinner, with hosts Dr. Peter Union Buildings Raven, Dr. Patricia Raven, and their 21 SEP THU Early departure along South African colleague Christopher is the peak blossom time, we may still the Dolphin Coast highway to Dalzell who will accompany the group hope for something of a show. At Maputaland, which occupies the for the first week. (D) Pretoria National Botanic Garden we northern part of Kwa Zulu-Natal will be greeted by the staff and treated Province. Included in this region is the Sandton Sun Intercontinental to a private tour, including the National Greater St. Lucia Wetland Park, a Herbarium with its huge collection of World Heritage Site. African plant specimens. Next we visit As today’s drive covers over 200 miles the Union Buildings – a classically there will be stops, notably at the designed structure that houses the Raphia Palms reserve near Mtunzini executive branch of government . (B,L) which is also home to very rare Palm Nut vultures.Our destination is a game Sandton Sun Intercontinental reserve owned by Conservation Corporation (CC AFRICA) where the company’s sustainable travel 19 SEP TUE Coach transfer to philosophy is seen at its best. With Sandton City Johannesburg International Airport. diverse biomes, a large variety of A morning flight departure of about one animals and thrilling day and night 18 SEP MON After breakfast in the hour to Durban. The change of climate expeditions in the wilderness, memories hotel, a full day’s excursion by motor is abrupt - from the high thin air of of Phinda visit will be treasured for coach will cross a wide area of the Johannesburg to moist coastal air; years to come. After check-in and Witwatersrand - a name taken from from dry grassland to lush sub-tropical lunch, the program begins with a the ridge of low hills, beneath which trees and shrubs. sundown cruise through Mzinene River lies the the world’s most fabulous gold At Durban Botanical Garden a picnic channels. Listen for the calls of 200 bearing reef. Modern freeways and lunch and tour has been arranged by bird species and to a myriad of singing broad avenues connect the highrise our guide Chris Dalzell, who is also insects among the reeds and in the buildings of downtown Johannesburg Curator of this wonderful Garden branches of fever trees; the splash of to smart suburbs, vast industrial located in the heart of the city. A special fish and crocodile, and hippo snorting. zones, and sprawling apartheid-era attraction is the highly regarded orchid Night comes quickly at Phinda and townships such as Soweto. A house. Our next stop is the Medicinal after sipping a hot drink, or maybe in patchwork of urban shanty towns Market where traditional African (and true safari style an ice cold gin & tonic, spreads throughout the booming particularly Zulu) healing practices will the drive back to the lodge will be metropolis, for the ‘City of Gold’ be explained. At Silverglen Medicinal interrupted with spotlight viewing of attracts people from all over Africa, Plant Nursery you will see a great interesting nocturnal creatures. as it has done for the past hundred variety of plants that were formerly only (B,L,D) years. A defining landscape feature available by collection in the wild and Phinda Resource Reserve today is the ‘mine dump’ - low, whitish thus became endangered. Traveling hills of crushed ore from which the along the Marine Parade, we pass 22 SEP FRI A full day at Phinda gold has been extracted, spaced at Durban’s renowned surfing beaches may start with a wake up call (sunrise intervals along the fifty mile long route and continue to our resort hotel on this eastern edge of South Africa of the reef. Our first stop is at Walter overlooking the Indian Ocean just north is soon after 5:00 a.m.), hot coffee Sisulu National Botanic Garden in of Durban. (B,L) and freshly baked rolls. Then, aboard Roodepoort, a town that grew out of Zimbali Lodge a landrover with naturalist guide and an early mining camp. After a guided 24 SEP SUN From the city we’ll 25 SEP MON On a recent visit to make a full circuit of the Cape Cape Town, Drs. Peter and Patricia Peninsula. Cosmopolitan Sea Point - Raven discovered Bartholomeus Klip, a one-stop wheat & sheep farm, luxury guest lodge and private nature reserve. This is springtime and scattered over the veld are at least 800 species of Cape Floral Region plants - we should see many daisies, succulents and flowering bulbs. On the slopes of Elandskloof Mountain and around Voelvlei (a city of Cape Town reservoir) tracker, explore the rocky foothills of we scout for springbok, gemsbok the Ubombo Mountains; follow sandy wildebeest, jackal and bat eared-foxes, trails through dense bushland or splash Cape of Good Hope to name a few of the wild animals that through grassy wetlands (Phinda have been reintroduced here. There encompasses 7 distinct ecosystems). blocks of high rise apartments fronting are many birds - from tiny colorful When suddenly the engine is switched the sea; Clifton - designer-homes finches and weaver birds to the blue off and the vehicle lurches to a stop, poised above curving white beaches. crane and soaring eagles. Lunch, watch where the tracker points: there From Camp’s Bay southwards there including typical Cape dishes, will be could be a pair of cheetah, a pride of are few structures, on one side Atlantic provided in the farmhouse. A circular lions, elephants, a leopard in a tree, waves surge against granite rocks, on route from Cape Town and back will vervet monkeys, a black rhino, or the other the mountain rises steeply, take in historic small towns and villages delicately striped nyala antelopes.

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